Vehicle conveyor

ABSTRACT

A vehicle conveyor suitable for a car wash is disclosed wherein tire-engaging rollers are attached to an endless chain positioned beneath the path of the vehicle. The rollers may selectively engage a tire on the vehicle or may selectively move along a path located at an elevation below the elevation of the tire. The tire-engaging rollers are supported as cantilevers from the chain. Slots are provided adjacent the ends of the chain so that the rollers may move up to a tire-engaging position and return to a lower position.

[451 Feb. 5, 1974 United States Patent [191 Hurwitz VEHICLE CONVEYOR 5/1970 Hanna...........

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Assistant Examiner-Richard A. Bertsch [22] Filed: Feb. 22, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 227,790

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Attorney, Agent,

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The rollers may selectively engage a tire on the vehicle or may selectively move along a path located at an elevation below the elevation of the tire. The tire- S m E T A .IP m e 3 mm c m H N U m w engaging rollers are supported as cantilevers from the chain. Slots are provided adjacent the ends of the chain so that the rollers may move up to a tireengaging position and return to a lower position.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 1 VEHICLE CONVEYOR The presentinvention is directed to a vehicle conveyor. Prior art conveyors of the type involved herein are disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,554,132 dated Jan. 11, 1971, and German Pat. No. 1,915,081 dated December, 1964. A tire-engaging roller of the type disclosed in said patents is part of asystem which may be called a demand system.

In U. S. Pat. No. 3,058,433 dated Oct. 16, 1962, there is disclosed a conveyor system which may be referred to as a non-demand system. In a non-demand system, the tire-engaging rollers continuously circulate along a track so as to be in a tire-pushing position, even if there is no vehicle to be pushed. A demand system is preferred since a non-demand system has continuous movement of rollers which may constitute a safety hazard.

A demand system permits the roller to travel below floor level until it is needed. However, a demand system such as that disclosed in said U. S. Pat. No.

3,554,132 cannot be used with a spinner-type wheel washer such as the Sherman-Haverberg automatic wheel washer Models MR7S and MR7S-70. The reason for this is the necessity in said patent for a continuous slot running longitudinally down the center of the tire lane to accommodate the arm pulling the roller which engages the tire. The existence of the arm in the central slot eliminates the ability to use the aforesaid spinnertype wheel washer without major modificationof the wheel washer. 1

Other disadvantages of the demand system disclosed in said U. S. Pat. .No. 3,554,132 result from the use of said centrally disposed longitudinally extending slot in the tire lane. Said slot has a tendency to damage the vehicle tire. Also, foreign matter can enter the slot and jam the chain which is directly below the slot.

The present invention is directed to avehicle conveyor of the demand type, but having the advantages of being usable with the aforesaid spinner-type wheel washer, is cheaper, requires fewer parts, and eliminates the necessity for a centrally disposed slot, all while having directional stability. Thus, in accordance with the present invention the tire-engaging rollers are sup ported as a cantilever from arms connected to the end less chain at spaced points therealong by a pivotable connection. The arms are angularly arranged so that they may pass' by the rollers of a spinner-type wheel washer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle conveyor having the features of a demand system while capable of being utilized with a spinner-type wheel washer. I

It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle conveyor which is adapted for use with. conveyor chains which extend around sprockets rotat-- able about vertical or horizontal axes.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle conveyor system which eliminates the need for a centrally disposed slot while having directional stability. v

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation view of a vehicle conveyor in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an enlarged detail view of the lefthand end of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2B is an enlarged detail view of the righthand end of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1, but on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3, but taken at a different location along the conveyor so as to illustrate the relationship between the tire-engaging roller and the spinner-type wheel washer.

FIG. 5 is'a perspective view of the tire-engaging roller and its support arm. I

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention wherein the con-' veyor chain is engaged with sprockets rotatable about vertical axes.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a vehicle conveyor in accordance with the present invention associated with an enclosure 12 which forms a part of a car wash. The vehicle conveyor 10 is utilized to propel vehicles 14 through the car wash.

The conveyor 10 is mounted below floor level with the upper surface thereof flush with the floor 17. The conveyor 10 is substantially disposed within a channel 18 in the floor. j

Within channel 18, sprockets 20 and 22 rotate about horizontal axes. Sprocket 20 is mounted on an idler shaftl9. Sprocket 22 is mounted on a drive shaft 26. Drive shaft 26 is connected to a drive means 28 shown more clearly in FIG. 4. Drive means 28 ventional drive means.

An endless chain 24 extendsaround the sprockets'20 and 22. Vehicle engaging members 30 are pivotably connected to the chain 24 at spaced points therealong. The vehicle engaging members 30 include an arm 32 having one end pivotably connected to a link of the chain 24 for pivoting about a horizontal axis. The arm' 32 is angularly disposed so as to extend outwardly and upwardly away from the chain 24, when the arm is connected to a link disposed in the upper run of the chain 24.

The upper end of arm.32 terminates ina journal 33 which receives a non-rotatable shaft 36. A roller 34 is rotatably supported by shaft 36 between wheels 38 and .40, which are joumaled on the shaft 36. As will be apparent from FIG. 3, the roller 34 is disposed directly above the chain 24 and is positioned so that it may engage the'tire 42 on the vehicle 14 and push the same through the car wash.

The wheels 38 and 40 ride on a track 44. Track 44 lacks thecentrally disposed slot which is essential to the demand system as disclosed in U. S. Pat. No.

3,554,132. Track 44 is supported at spaced points 7 along its length by horizontally disposed I-beams 46.

As will be described hereinafter, the rollers 34 may selectively move along track 44 or may move along a .track 48 disposed therebelow.-Track 48 is supported by I-beams 50 which extend transversely thereacross at spaced points therealong. Each of the l-beams 46 and S0 is verticallyinterconnected by beams 52. The upper run of thechain 44 rides on a wear plate likewise supported by the beams 50.

The lower or return run of the conveyor chain 24 is disposed directly beneath the tracks 44 and 48. The ve-' may be a conhicle engaging members 30 attached to the return run of the chain 24 are pivoted to a position wherein the wheels 38 and 40 are riding on spaced tracks 54 supported in'any convenient manner, such as by a metal housing 56 which encloses the entire conveyor 10. The lane for the tire 42 on the vehicle 14 is defined on opposite sides by guides 58 and 60, having an inwardly extending projection or lane defining surface which renders the lane slightly narrower than the track 44. Any one of a wide variety of known devices for guiding tire 42 and defining the lane may be utilized.

A grating .62 is flush with the floor l7 and track 44 and overlies an open portion of the channel 18. Excess water from the carwash is permitted to enter the channel 18 through the grating 62 to a sump wherein it may be pumped into a sewer or recycled through a purifier.

In order that the system may be a demand system, a means is provided to selectively permit the vehicle engaging members 30 to travel along track 48 or along track 44. That is, the vehicle engaging members 30 would normally travel along track 48 except, when a demand is initiated by any suitable manual or automatic control device.

A ramp 64 is pivotably connected to the underside of track 44 by means of a pin 66. A solenoid 68 has its plunger 70 spring-biased to the left in FIGQZA. The plunger 70 has a pin extending through an elongated slot 72 on the bottom surface of ramp 64. When solenoid 68 is activated, the plunger70 is retracted to the position shown in FIG. 2A, thereby causing the ramp 64 to pivot downwardly from a position wherein it closes the aperture 74.

When the ramp 64 has been activated to an operative disposition as shown in FIG. 2A, the lower end thereof contacts the upper surface of track 48. The next vehicle engaging member 30 to be moved around sprocket 20 by the chain 24 will engage the ramp 64 and follow the path indicated by the arrow 75, and ride up the ramp 64 so that it may travel along the upper surface of track 44. i 7

After traveling the length of track 44, the vehicle engaging member 30 descends through the aperture 76. See FIG. 2B. To cushion the descent of the member 30 as it drops through the aperture 76, there is provided a ramp 78 pivotably connected by pin 80 to the undersurface of track 44. Any vehicle engaging member 30 traveling along track 48 will pivot the ramp 7.8 upwardly out of its way as shown more clearly in FIG. 2B. The housing 56 preferably includes curved end portions 82 and 84 as shown more clearly in FIGS. 2A and 2B. The curved end portions 82 and 84 prevent the roller end of the arm 32 from pivoting to a position so that it precedes the end of the arm 32 pivotably connected to the chain 24.

Referring to FIG. 4, a spinner-type wheel washer designated generally as 86 is illustrated in connection with the conveyor 10. The washer 86 is of a commercially available type described heretofore and well-known to those skilled in the art. In such a spinner-type wheel washer, there are provided a plurality of idler and drive rollers sequentially arranged and over which the tire of the vehicle will roll. Thus, roller 88 in FIG. 4 may be either the idler or drive roller. Roller 88 is mounted on one end of shaft 90. The other end of shaft 90 and an intermediate portion thereof are supported by bearings 92 and 94 so that the rollers are cantilevered.

At the location of the wheel washer 86, the track 48 terminates and the tire 42 rolls onto the plurality of rollers 88 which are parallel to one another and disposed side-by-side. At this location, tracks 96 and 98 are provided on opposite sides of the rollers 88 to rollingly support the wheels 38 and 40 on the vehicle engaging members 30. As will be apparent from FIG. 4, the cantilever arrangement for supporting the members 30 permits the arm 32 to extend beyond the rollers 88 of the wheel washer 86, the track 48 resumes and a cross section of the conveyor is the same as that shown in FIG. 3 which precedes the wheel washer 86.

In the embodiment of the conveyor described above,

'the forward and return portions of the chain 24 are disposed one above the other while the sprockets 22 and not possible to dig channel 18 sufficiently deep so as to accommodate the sprockets and chain as shown. For example, in some locations, problems such as existing street sewer locations may prevent the use of a trench deep enough to accommodate the above-described conveyor. Also, the cost of installation of the above conveyor to replace a conventional conveyor may be prohibitive. Under these circumstances, the vehicle conveyor of the present invention may be utilized in connection with the embodiment shown in FIG. 6.

In FIG. 6, there is illustrated a vehicle conveyor 10' which is identical with conveyor 10, except as will be made clear hereinafter. Accordingly, corresponding elements of conveyor 10' are provided with corresponding primed numerals.

In FIG. 6, the conveyor chain 24' extends around sprockets, such as sprocket 20', which rotate about vertical axes. Thus, the forward and return runs of the chain 24' lie in a horizontal plane as compared with chain 24 whose forward and return runs lie in a vertical plane.

When a particular vehicle engaging member 30' is moving on a forward stroke as indicated by the arrow 100, member 30 may be selectively caused to move along the track 44' or along the track 98. Track 98 corresponds to track 48. Tracks 44' and 98 are disposed one above the other with the forwardly moving portion of the chain 24' disposed directly below the track 44.

The vehicle engaging members 30' connected to the return portion of the chain 24- are rollingly supported by track 99. Track 99 lies in the same plane as track 98. Accordingly, it should be apparent that the channel 18' is substantially shallower than the channel 18. If desired, the inner strip of track 98 may be connected by a curved portion to the inner strip of track 99. Likewise, the outer strip of track 98 may be connected by a curved portion to the outer strip of track 99 at the ends thereof so as to support the vehicle engaging members as they make the turn around the sprockets. The vehicle conveyor 10 is otherwise identical with the vehicle conveyor 10.

While a solenoid has been disclosed as the device for selectively effecting pivotable movement of the ramp 64, it will be appreciated that other equivalent devices such as power cylinders, cams, and the like may be utilized to effect such movement of the ramp 64 on demand. I

Thus, there has been discovered a vehicle conveyor which lacks a longitudinal slot in the tire lane and thereby lacks the disadvantages of the prior art which utilized such a slot. At the same time, there has been guides 58 and 60.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

1 claim:

l. A conveyor comprising means defining a lane having a first track along which a vehicle is to be pushed, a conveyor chain having a forward run directly below said, first track, a second track below said first track, a plurality of arms, each arm having one 'end pivoted to said chain, a roller supported by a cantilever shaft attached at the other end of each arm, means including said arms so that each roller is movable along each of said tracks by said forward run of said chain, demand means for selectively transferring a roller from movement along the second track to movement along the first track, and said arms extending outwardly and upwardly from said chain so as to have their end portions supporting the roller in a position alongside the track along which the roller is being moved by said forward run of the chain.

2. A conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein a return run for said chain lies in the same vertical plane as said forward run.

3. A conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein each arm has a length greater than the vertical distance 1 between the tracks.

4. A conveyor inaccordance with claim 1 wherein said chain has a return run lying substantially in the same horizontal plane as said forward run, and said chain extending around sprockets which rotate about vertical axes.

5. A vehicle conveyor comprising means defining a lane having a first track at floor level and along which a tire on a vehicle is to be pushed, a second track at an elevation below the elevation ofthe first track and parallel thereto, a conveyor chain at an elevation below the elevation of said lane, said conveyor chain having a forward run below said first track, a plurality of arms each havingone end pivotably connected to said chain at spaced points therealong, a roller supported by a cantilever shaft at the other end of each arm, demand means for selectively pivoting an arm and transferring its roller from movement along the second track to movement along the first track, each arm extending outwardly from said chain and then upwardly so as to have its said other end in a position alongside the track along which its roller is moving.

6. A vehicle conveyor in accordance with claim 5 wherein said first track is free from any longitudinally extending slot in the portion thereof adapted for contact with the tire to be pushed therealong.

7. A vehicle conveyor in accordance with claim 5 including a spinner-type wheel washer alongside a vertical plane containing said first track, said spinner-type wheel washer having rollers projecting into a gap in the first track and forming a continuation thereof for supporting the tire of the vehicle and for rotating the tire of the vehicle, with the outward and upward extent of said arm being sufficient so that the said other end of the arm passes alongside one end of said wheel washer rollers.

8. A vehicle conveyor in accordance with claim 5 wherein the return run of said chain is directly below said forward run of the chain.

ii. A vehicle conveyor in accordance with claim 5 wherein the return run of said chain lies substantially in the same horizontal plane as said forward run of the chain, with the chain extending around sprockets rotatable about vertical axes.

10. A vehicle conveyor in accordance with claim 9 including a spinner-type wheel washer alongside a vertical plane containing the said forward run of the chain, said first track having a gap adjacent said wheel washer, said wheel washer having rollers supported by cantilevers at an elevation above said forward run of the chain and below said lane in said gap in said first track, and each of said arms extending sufficiently outwardly from said forward run of the chain so as to pass alongside a free end of shafts supporting the wheel washer rollers. 2: 

1. A conveyor comprising means defining a lane having a first track along which a vehicle is to be pushed, a conveyor chain having a forward run directly below said first track, a second track below said first track, a plurality of arms, each arm having one end pivoted to said chain, a roller supported by a cantilever shaft attached at the other end of each arm, means including said arms so that each roller is movable along each of said tracks by said forward run of said chain, demand means for selectively transferring a roller from movement along the second track to movement along the first track, and said arms extending outwardly and upwardly from said chain so as to have their end portions supporting the roller in a position alongside the track along which the roller is being moved by said forward run of the chain.
 2. A conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein a return run for said chain lies in the same vertical plane as said forward run.
 3. A conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein each arm has a length greater than the vertical distance between the tracks.
 4. A conveyor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said chain has a return run lying substantially in the same horizontal plane as said forward run, and said chain extending around sprockets which rotate about vertical axes.
 5. A vehicle conveyor comprising means defining a lane having a first track at floor level and along which a tire on a vehicle is to be pushed, a second track at an elevation below the elevation of the first track and parallel thereto, a conveyor chain at an elevation below the elevation of said lane, said conveyor chain having a forward run below said first track, a plurality of arms each having one end pivotably connected to said chain at spaced points therealong, a roller supported by a cantilever shaft at the other end of each arm, demand means for selectively pivoting an arm and transferring its roller from movement along the second track to movement along the first track, each arm extending outwardly from said chain and then upwardly so as to have its said other end in a position alongside the track along which its roller is moving.
 6. A vehicle conveyor in accordance with claim 5 wherein said first track is free from any longitudinally extending slot in the portion thereof adapted for contact with the tire to be pushed therealong.
 7. A vehicle conveyor in accordance with claim 5 including a spinner-type wheel washer alongside a vertical plane containing said first track, said spinner-type wheel washer having rollers projecting into a gap in the first track and forming a continuation thereof for supporting the tire of the vehicle and for rotating the tire of the vehicle, with the outward and upward extent of said arm being sufficient so that the said other end of the arm passes alongside one end of said wheel washer rollers.
 8. A vehicle conveyor in accordance with claim 5 wherein the return run of said chain is directly below said forward run of the chain.
 9. A vehicle conveyor in accordance with claim 5 wherein the return run of said chain lies substantially in the same horizontal plane as said forward run of the chain, with the chain extending around sprockets rotatable about vertical axes.
 10. A vehicle conveyor in accordance with claim 9 including a spinner-type wheel washer alongside a vertical plane containing the said forward run of the chain, said first track having a gap adjacent said wheel washer, said wheel washer having rollers supported by cantilevers at an elevation above said forward run of the chain and below said lane in said gap in said first track, and each of said arms extending sufficiently outwardly from said forward run of the chain so as to pass alongside a free end of shafts supporting the wheel washer rollers. 